tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917932169846040654.post513689612712133678..comments2024-02-26T16:52:31.026+00:00Comments on Jon Slattery: What happened when a workie sent the Indy a billJon Slatteryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13038317396308507738noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917932169846040654.post-34198718213089125182010-11-25T13:41:10.973+00:002010-11-25T13:41:10.973+00:00The Indy is supposed to obey the law. They are em...The Indy is supposed to obey the law. They are employers, right? They exploited a young person's desperation to work, entered into a contract illegal under the National Minimum Wage Act, and then wondered why he did something about it. Well, there are others doing the same thing - as is their right. The shame lies in the fact that they are having to do it at all.Fiona O'Cleirighnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917932169846040654.post-49297563417243406442010-11-25T13:00:18.913+00:002010-11-25T13:00:18.913+00:00Don't encourage him. You're supposed to re...Don't encourage him. You're supposed to research things like pay before you start these thing. You are a journalist right?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917932169846040654.post-16393913500292424952010-11-25T11:27:48.992+00:002010-11-25T11:27:48.992+00:00Girish sounds like just the kind of
gutsy person ...Girish sounds like just the kind of <br />gutsy person we need to be attracting <br />into our floundering industry, <br />instead of the servile, chinless <br />off-spring of the priveleged<br />mummies and daddies, who can fund<br />their kids to "work" as unpaid <br />interns for how ever long it takes<br />and who love to see the competition <br />thinned out a bit. <br /><br />The "liberal" Independent should be <br />truly ashamed by this episode. <br />It is pathetic.<br /><br />Sounds like Girish needs to make use<br />of the NUJ's excellent iniative to<br />help ripped-off interns claim back<br />their wages. As a member of the NUJ's<br />London Freelance Branch committee, I <br />am so pleased that my NUJ branch <br />initiated the "interns cashback" <br />campaign, which is so important for <br />all journalists.<br /><br />Mark WattsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-917932169846040654.post-15982481936923074022010-11-25T08:54:58.416+00:002010-11-25T08:54:58.416+00:00If Girish was working unpaid in a situation where ...If Girish was working unpaid in a situation where he would otherwise have been paid, then I would call him an intern. A workie is someone getting experience of a workplace - usually a student or even a schoolchild - rather than someone doing the work of that place.<br /><br><br><br />The difference is more than a quibble. The National Minimum Wage Act applies to interns working for nothing, whereas it does not apply to those on work experience as part of their learning. <br /><br><br><br />Girish, and every other former intern, should - legally - have been paid at least the National Minimum Wage. It is illegal for an employer not to pay it, but widespread malpractice means that many do not choose to realise this.<br /><br><br><br />Anyone who has been in this situation and would like to claim back the NMW they believe they are owed, should contact the National Union of Journalist's <i>Cashback for Interns</i> programme at interns@londonfreelance.org<br /><br><br><br />Girish Gupta's nerve and rightful self-belief are admirable.Fiona O'Cleirighnoreply@blogger.com